Variable speed self-righting toy



y 9 J. GREEN VARIABLE SPEED SELF -RIGHTING TOY Filed Feb. 6, 1967 Rm 0 E .MR E s m FIG. 4.

AT TORN E Y United States Patent 3,442,045 VARIABLE SPEED SELF-RIGHTING TOY Joseph Green, 54 Prospect Ave., Hewlett, N.Y. 11557 Filed Feb. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 614,147 Int. Cl. A63h 15/06, 5/00 US. Cl. 46-118 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to toys, and is particularly directed to improvements in self-righting toys of the type having a base of rounded configuration which is weighted to return the toy to anerect position on a supporting surface upon angular displacement of the toy from such position.

Self-righting toys of the described character are provided with a decorative or fanciful body of any desired configuration extending upwardly from the base so that, when the toy is angularly displaced from its normal erect position, the weight of such body opposes the restoring force of the weighted base and thus retards or slows the return of the toy to the erect position. In the existing self-righting toys, the weight of the body always acts or is centered at a fixed position relative to the base so that the resultant of the restoring force of the weighted base and of the contrary acting, but smaller force due to the weight of the body is dependent only on the angular displacement of the toy from its erect position. Thus, the speed and frequency of oscillation of the toy about its erect position upon release of the toy from an angularly displaced disposition cannot be varied for any particular degree of displacement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a self-righting toy of the described character in which the frequency of oscillation of the toy in returning to its erect position from an angularly displaced position can be varied at will, thereby to achieve a novel effect and increase the play value and attractiveness of the toy for children.

Another object is to provide a toy of the described character having a sounding device operable in response to, and at the variable frequency of the oscillation of the toy in returning to its erect position from an angularly displaced position.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the body or superstructure of a self-righting toy is of adjusta-ble length or extension from the weighted base, thereby to vary the position at which the Weight of the body or superstructure is centered or acts to oppose the restoring force.

In a particularly desirable embodiment of the invention, the body or superstructure of the toy includes a series of telescopically engaged tubular sections which may be successively nested or extended relative to each other for varying the effective length of the body.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a self-righting toy embodying this invention, and which is shown in its normal erect position;

FIG. '2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the body of the toy fully contacted;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the joint between two of the telescopically engaged sections forming the 'body of the toy; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the toy angularly displaced from its erect position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a self-righting toy 10 in accordance with this invention generally comprises a base 11 and a body 12 extending upwardly from the base in the normal erect position of the toy. The base 11 may, as shown, include a dish-like member 13 molded or otherwise suitably formed of plastic so as to have a rounded, approximately spherical undersurface 14 capable of rocking in all directions when resting on a flat supporting surface S. Contained within, or otherwise secured with respect to base member 13 is a weight 15 of metal or other dense, heavy material adapted to urge the toy to return to the normal erect position shown on FIG. 1 whenever the toy is angularly displaced from such erect position.

The body or superstructure 12 of the toy 10 is, in accordance with this invention, of adjustable length or extension frorn weighted base 11 and, for that purpose, is shown to include a plurality of telescopically engaged tubular sections 16, 17, 1'8 and 19 which may be extended relative to each other, as on FIG. 1, or successively nested, as on FIG. 2. The body or superstructure 12 may further include a member 20 of fanciful shape, for example, in the form of a dolls head, as shown, suitably secured on the end of body section 19 which is uppermost in the fully extended condition of body 12.

In a particularly advantageous arrangement of the body sections 16, 17, 18 and 19, such sections taper uniformly in the upward direction so that the inner diameter at the upper end of each of body sections 16, 17 and 18 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter at the lower end of the next of the sections 17, 18 and 19, respectively, telescoping therein. Thus, as shown on FIG. '3 with respect to body sections 16 and 17 by way of example, when the section 17 is extended upwardly from within section 16, the outer surface of the lower end portion of body section 17 will come into frictional engagement with the inner surface of the upper end portion of body section 16 and thereby retain section 17 in its extended postion relative to section 16. When it is desired to collapse or retract any one of the body sections from its extended position for nesting within the next lower body section, it is only necessary to press downwardly on the section to be retracted for moving the outer surface of its lower end portion downwardly, and hence out of frictional engagement with the inner surface of the upper end portion of the next lower body section.

Thus, the body or superstructure 12 of toy 10 can be selectively adjusted to any one of two lengths intermediate the maximum length shown on FIG. 1 and the minimum length shown on FIG. 2 by retracting the upper body section 19 into the next lower section 18, and by retracting sections 19 and 18 into sections 17 and v16, respectively. It will be apparent that, for each adjusted length of body or superstructure 12, the weight of such body or superstructure will be centered at a different corresponding distance from base 11. For example, as shown on FIG. 4, when body or superstructure 12 is extended to its maximum length, the center of gravity of body 12, that is, the location at which there is centered the weight of the toy exclusive of the base 11 and its weight 15, will be at the position CG; which is a relatively large distance from the base; whereas, when body or superstructure 12 is fully retracted to its minimum length shown on FIG. 2, the center of gravity of body 12 will be at the position CG which is a relatively short distance from the base. It will also be understood that, when body 12 is adjusted to either of its two possible lengths between the maximum and minimum lengths shown on FIGS. 1 and 2, the center of gravity of body 12 will be disposed at respective positions intermediate the positions CG and C6 on FIG. 4.

When toy 10 has its body 12 fully extended to its maximmum length, as on FIG. 4, and the toy is angularly displaced from its normal erect position, the force Fu resulting from the weight of body 12 centered at the position CG will be spaced a substantial distance d, at one side of the point P where the rounded surface 14 of the base contacts the supporting surface S, and therefore will offer substantial opposition to the restoration of the toy to its erect position by the force Fr due to the weight 15 which acts at the opposite side of the point P. Thus, with body 12 in its fully extended position, the release of the toy following its angular displacement from the erect position will be followed by relatively slow return of the toy toward its erect position. Of course, the inertia of the toy will carry it past its erect or vertical position so that there will occur a relatively slow oscillation of successively decreasing amplitude until the toy comes to rest at its erect position.

However, when the body or superstructure 12 is retracted, for example, fully retracted to its minimum length indicated on FIG. 2, and the toy is angularly displaced to the same degree as shown on FIG. 4, the force Fu opposing the restoring force Fr of weight 15 acts at the position CG and thus is spaced only a relatively small distance d from the point P of contact with surface S, so that there is only relatively small opposition to the return of the toy toward its erect position and such return movement occurs at a relatively high speed. Since the inertia of the toy returning from an angularly displaced position toward its erect position will carry the toy beyond such erect position, there will follow oscillating movement at a relatively high frequency with the successive oscillations being of reduced magnitude until the toy again comes to rest at its erect position.

From the above, it is apparent that the length adjustment of body 12 is effective to regulate the speed of movement and the frequency of oscillation of the toy 10 when the latter is released from a position angularly displaced from its normal vertical or erect position.

The toy 10 embodying this invention is further shown on FIG. 1 to include a sounding device 21, for example,

mounted within the lower end portion of body section 16, and being operable in response to, and at the frequency of the oscillation of the toy about its vertical or erect position. Such sounding device 21 may simply include a striker 22 pivotally mounted within a cylindrical metal tube 23 which is fixed in relation to body section 16 and constitutes a chime. Obviously, when body 12 is angularly displaced from its erect position, chime 23 follows such angular displacement while striker 22 tends to remain vertically suspended and thus strikes tubular chime 23 to provide an audible musical sound. It will be apparent that the frequency with which striker 22 hits against tubular chime 23 will depend upon the frequency of oscillation of the toy which, in turn, is determined by the length to which body 12 is adjusted.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-righting toy comprising a base of rounded configuration which is weighted to tend to maintain the toy in erect position on a supporting surface, and a superstructure extending from said base and being of variable length to change the position with respect to said base at which the weight of said superstructure is centered, thereby to regulate the speed and frequency of oscillation of the toy when the latter is released for return to said erect position from an angularly displaced position.

2. A self-righting toy according to claim 1; further comprising a sounding device oscillatable with the toy and being operable in response to, and at the regulated frequency of oscillation of the toy.

3. A self-righting toy'according to claim 1; wherein said superstructure includes a plurality of telescopically engaged tubular sections movable relative to each other between extended and retracted positions.

4. A self-righting toy according to claim 3; wherein said tubular sections all taper in the same direction and adjacent end portions of successive sections frictionally engage each other to retain said successive sections in their relatively extended positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,425,945 8/ 1922 Congdon.

2,458,306 1/ 1949 Schneider 46-155 3,037,320 6/ 1962 Powell 461 3,153,880 10/1964 Swanberg et a1 46-118 3,252,242 5/1966 Zalkind 46--1l8 ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

